Furniture]: [Siddons, G.A.]:
THE CABINET-MAKER'S GUIDE: OR RULES AND INSTRUCTIONS - Furniture]: [Siddons, G.A - 1825. [1278656]Greenfield, Ma. 1825. - 108pp. Publisher's ads on rear board. 16mo. Original cloth-backed printed boards. Boards and front free endpaper detached, but present. Formerly the copy of the National Academy of Design Library, with a small shelf mark on the spine and a library notice on the front pastedown. Internally clean. A good copy, entirely unsophisticated. Untrimmed. Samuel F.B. Morse's copy of the first American printing of the first American furniture finisher's manual, reprinted from the original British edition by G.A. Siddons. "A new edition, with considerable additions. Including an appendix containing several valuable tables." Clear and concise instructions are given for dying and staining woods, making glue, making and applying varnish, polishing, japanning, cleaning woods and metals, and much more. For example, to make furniture oil: "Take linseed oil, put it in a glazed pipkin, with as much alkanet root as it will cover; let it boil gently, and you will find it become of a strong red color: let it cool, and it will be fit for use." Six tables in the appendix provide assistance for figuring lengths and weights, and an index follows. The top edge of the front cover bears the ink ownership signature of Samuel F.B. Morse, written "S.F.B. Morse." This copy emanates from the library of Morse's National Academy of Design. Established in New York City the same year this book was published, the National Academy of Design was formed by Morse, Thomas Cole, Rembrandt Peale, Ithiel Town, Asher Durand, and others, as the first American arts institution conceived with artists and architects at its core. The mission of the Academy was "to promote the fine arts in America through instruction and exhibition." Morse served as president of the Academy from 1826 to 1845 and again from 1861 to 1862. Western Massachusetts was obviously a place of great architectural and design innovation during the American federal period as both the present title and Asher Benjamin's landmark architecture book, THE COUNTRY BUILDER'S ASSISTANT., were printed in Greenfield. Not in AMERICAN IMPRINTS, and only nine copies in OCLC. Rare and desirable, especially with such an outstanding and distinguished association to the arts in 19th century America. RINK 1793. OCLC 21296631, 8735793, 6440070.
[Bookseller: William Reese Company - Americana]